Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Improvements in Japan are leading broad developed int’l indexes higher. The MSCI EAFE, local currency is bullishly inflecting above its downtrend and putting an end to the YTD pattern of lower highs. Both the TOPIX and Nikkei 225 have continued to improve, and now the TOPIX Small index is also bullishly inflecting. We provide a technical appraisal of major global markets, and highlight a number of actionable stocks within Japan, and across international markets.

Improvements in Japan are leading broad developed int’l indexes higher. The MSCI EAFE, local currency is bullishly inflecting above its downtrend and putting an end to the YTD pattern of lower highs. Both the TOPIX and Nikkei 225 have continued to improve, and now the TOPIX Small index is also bullishly inflecting. We provide a technical appraisal of major global markets, and highlight a number of actionable stocks within Japan, and across international markets.

MSCI EAFE Inflecting, Aided by Strength in Japan

Global Materials | Industrials | Commodities

Rahul Jain

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Business: Japan’s largest integrated energy group, ENEOS runs ~45% of national refining capacity, upstream assets, power generation, and holds 42% of JX Advanced Metals.</li>
<li>Earnings (3Y): OP peaked at ¥504 bn in FY2023 on high oil prices, fell to ¥107 bn in FY2024 on inventory losses, and is guided to ¥300 bn in FY2025.</li>
<li>Valuation &amp; Risks: Trades at ~8× EV/EBITDA (~¥900/share), above our SOTP fair value (~¥690); key risks include crude volatility, shrinking domestic fuel demand, high leverage, and transition execution.</li>
</ul>


Business: Japan’s largest integrated energy group, ENEOS runs ~45% of national refining capacity, upstream assets, power generation, and holds 42% of JX Advanced Metals.
Earnings (3Y): OP peaked at ¥504 bn in FY2023 on high oil prices, fell to ¥107 bn in FY2024 on inventory losses, and is guided to ¥300 bn in FY2025.
Valuation &amp; Risks: Trades at ~8× EV/EBITDA (~¥900/share), above our SOTP fair value (~¥690); key risks include crude volatility, shrinking domestic fuel demand, high leverage, and transition execution.


ENEOS Holdings (TSE: 5020): Cash Returns Support, Valuation Capped

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>I wrote last when Exedy was at ¥3,900 and had just announced, good earnings, a sharp div hike, and a huge buyback. The stock reacted well, but not THAT well.</li>
<li>Murakami-San had indeed lifted his stake, and the stock is now climbing again. Presumably, the company is in the market buying. At this price, it depends on what Murakami-san does.</li>
<li>Fat div. Lots of volume to buy in the next several months, but the big story is future measures.</li>
</ul>


I wrote last when Exedy was at ¥3,900 and had just announced, good earnings, a sharp div hike, and a huge buyback. The stock reacted well, but not THAT well.
Murakami-San had indeed lifted his stake, and the stock is now climbing again. Presumably, the company is in the market buying. At this price, it depends on what Murakami-san does.
Fat div. Lots of volume to buy in the next several months, but the big story is future measures.


[JAPAN ACTIVISM] Exedy (7278) - Immediate Results Reaction Was a Damp Squib, But Climbing Now

<ul>
<li>This past week, activist Murakami-san's City Index Eleventh announced that the companies which jointly report now own 20.3%, which translates to 23.5% of voting rights. Average in-price?  ¥2,928/share.</li>
<li>The 2030 Plan from April saw 8% ROE by 2030, 6% by 2026. They've since bought back 11% of shares out. Better, but 1/4 of market cap is net cash+securities.</li>
<li>If one assumes they spend the net cash+securities to buy back stock 10% higher than here, pro-forma PBR is &lt;0.6x. ROE would be 7+%. There's room to run here, still. </li>
</ul>


This past week, activist Murakami-san's City Index Eleventh announced that the companies which jointly report now own 20.3%, which translates to 23.5% of voting rights. Average in-price?  ¥2,928/share.
The 2030 Plan from April saw 8% ROE by 2030, 6% by 2026. They've since bought back 11% of shares out. Better, but 1/4 of market cap is net cash+securities.
If one assumes they spend the net cash+securities to buy back stock 10% higher than here, pro-forma PBR is &lt;0.6x. ROE would be 7+%. There's room to run here, still. 


[JAPAN ACTIVISM] Murakami Group Now 23.5% on Exedy (7278) - LOTS of Room Left To Run

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsui-matsushima-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13569:1" rel="noopener">Mitsui Matsushima (1518 JP)</a> was a coal company starting over 100yrs ago. A bunch of years ago it started a solar energy business and then started M&amp;A to diversify.</li>
<li>Coal closed last year and since, MMH has become an investment holdco for "basic businesses" (drinking straws, conveyor system chains, document shredders, weighing machines, crystal measuring devices, mask blanks, etc).</li>
<li>Murakami Group accumulated 4.98% in five weeks, then the next 14.9% in five days. Pump &amp; Dump like Pacific Metals? Activism like JAFCO? Or something else more interesting?</li>
</ul>



Mitsui Matsushima (1518 JP) was a coal company starting over 100yrs ago. A bunch of years ago it started a solar energy business and then started M&amp;A to diversify.
Coal closed last year and since, MMH has become an investment holdco for "basic businesses" (drinking straws, conveyor system chains, document shredders, weighing machines, crystal measuring devices, mask blanks, etc).
Murakami Group accumulated 4.98% in five weeks, then the next 14.9% in five days. Pump &amp; Dump like Pacific Metals? Activism like JAFCO? Or something else more interesting?


JAPAN ACTIVISM: Murakami-Related Buyers Go from 5% to 20% of Mitsui Matsushima (1518) In 5 Days. Hmm

Japan

Cosmo Energy Holdings Co., Ltd. operates as a holding company.  The Company, through its subsidiaries, imports, refines, and sells crude oil as well engages in the independent development of oil resources.

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Cosmo Energy Holdings (5021 JP)

MSCI EAFE Inflecting, Aided by Strength in Japan

Improvements in Japan are leading broad developed int’l indexes higher. The MSCI EAFE, local currency is bullishly inflecting above its downtrend...

Vermilion Research

ENEOS Holdings (TSE: 5020): Cash Returns Support, Valuation Capped

ENEOS, Japan's top energy group, faces earnings fluctuations due to oil prices and inventory losses, with valuation above fair value and risks...

Rahul Jain

[JAPAN ACTIVISM] Exedy (7278) - Immediate Results Reaction Was a Damp Squib, But Climbing Now

Murakami-san is at 26% of voting rights and together with the first buyback, the entire Aisin offering is now covered. The next large buyback is...

Travis Lundy

[JAPAN ACTIVISM] Murakami Group Now 23.5% on Exedy (7278) - LOTS of Room Left To Run

Muirakami-san continues to accumulate Exedy. Now at 23.5%. Remaining overhang from the 36+% offering is 2%. Earnings are in a week. Excess capital...

Travis Lundy

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

MSCI EAFE Inflecting, Aided by Strength in Japan

Improvements in Japan are leading broad developed int’l indexes higher. The MSCI EAFE, local currency is bullishly inflecting above its downtrend...

Vermilion Research

ENEOS Holdings (TSE: 5020): Cash Returns Support, Valuation Capped

​ENEOS, Japan's top energy group, faces earnings fluctuations due to oil prices and inventory losses, with valuation above fair value and risks...

Rahul Jain

[JAPAN ACTIVISM] Exedy (7278) - Immediate Results Reaction Was a Damp Squib, But Climbing Now

Murakami-san is at 26% of voting rights and together with the first buyback, the entire Aisin offering is now covered. The next large buyback is...

Travis Lundy

[JAPAN ACTIVISM] Murakami Group Now 23.5% on Exedy (7278) - LOTS of Room Left To Run

Muirakami-san continues to accumulate Exedy. Now at 23.5%. Remaining overhang from the 36+% offering is 2%. Earnings are in a week. Excess capital...

Travis Lundy

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Murakami-Related Buyers Go from 5% to 20% of Mitsui Matsushima (1518) In 5 Days. Hmm

Murakami-san's "grouping" crept to 4.98% in holdco Mitsui Matsushima over 5wks, then launched to 20% in 5 days. The stock is up big. Actual exit...

Travis Lundy

ENEOS, Japan's top energy group, faces earnings fluctuations due to oil prices and inventory losses, with valuation above fair value and risks...